Thorium metallicum: a magician with renal failure

by Maarten van der Meer

A sixty year old man came for consultation for renal failure
following a kidney transplant, after a year of dialysis. A biopsy showed that after
two years, he still had symptoms of rejection of his kidney, which is longer
than the usual period. He is on a maintenance dose of prednisone and complains
of the side-effects: thinning of the skin, increased blood pressure (180/100),
oedema of the ankles, and mild headaches. He also feels restless and tense.

Years ago, he wanted to move from the big city to the
countryside, in order to escape the hustle-bustle, as he does not feel at home
in the world of commerce, consumerism, and bureaucracy. He works for social
services and is very ecologically minded.

“I get so churned up by the paper-pushers, human values get
too little attention.” His illness has caused him uncertainty: “I can’t let go
of the old anxieties, they follow me. There is always a dark cloud, as though I
can’t forget that kidney. I try to live by the day, in the awareness that any
day my life could end. I intuit things
quickly. I am someone who always wants to keep control of his own life.” Indeed,
he has looked up everything about his illness. He chooses his therapies
carefully but is not self-sufficient in this; he doubts himself and then phones
for a second opinion. He is a likeable man who does not stand by convention. He
looks for an ideology and a philosophy of life but he cannot make his own
choices; he keeps all his options open. Many years ago, I saw him walking in
the street, his long black coat billowing in the wind and the word that seemed
to describe him best was “magician.”

In the past, he did well on Causticum, prescribed partly due
to his aversion to authority and his intense reaction to the suffering of the
world. After his kidney transplant, he was prescribed prednisolon acetate and
his energy increased. After a year, however, there were still signs of
rejection of his new kidney; I prescribed Erbium Carbonicum. A year later, he
is tired and has pressure on his chest, oedema of his ankles, and stomach
complaints. He is receiving a cocktail of medication: cozar, selokene,
prednisolon, nexium, lasix, prograft, and mycofortic, which could indicate that
some of his complaints are possibly iatrogenic.

Analysis:

Starting from the premise that degenerative illness can be
an indication for prescribing an actinide, I sought for a suitable remedy in
that series. Margriet Plouvier-Suijs’ themes for the actinides seem to suit
him: tendency to reflection, altruism, compassion, and intuition. The situation
that he finds himself in, living on “borrowed time,” also fits the actinide
themes: a reclusive life, living without steering or interfering. Meanwhile, he
has insight and oversight, and his cynicism and resistance can point to a
Nitricum salt.

For these remedies we have little in the way of proving or
clinical experience, which means that we are largely reliant on Jan Scholten’s
method for finding the correct stage. With this patient, we see a certain cautiousness, doubt, and
uncertainty. His recovery started well but it stops halfway, as though even his
body is ‘uncertain’. In practice, attitude and behaviour turn out to be
reliable sources of information regarding the working of the vegetative system.
Stage 4, as in Cerium in the Lanthanides, is recognised for its cautious
approach; starting something and then coming to a standstill.

Prescription: Thorium metallicum 1M

Follow-up:

After one year, his blood pressure is good with medication:
130/60. He is feeling good and has no more headaches or tension, and no more
chests complaints or oedema of the ankles.

Another year later, he comes again for an abdominal
infection related to hygiene, which is helped with phytotherapy. His condition
is good but he still has some side-effects from the medication; his bowels are
more sensitive than normal. The biopsies are negative and he can reduce his
anti-rejection medication.

The analysis is pretty interesting. Homeopathy is unique because it cures a patient based on his nature,behavior rather than the disease itself.

http://www.zippy-health.com/dr-batras-homeopathic-clinic/

Posts: 3

thoriumReply #2 on : Wed November 03, 2010, 22:31:48

Dear JJ,
The prescription was one dose of Thorium 1M, after which he felt much better, his blood pressure was reduced, his transplant rejection was diminished, and he was able to return to work. He remained on (minimal) medication as a precaution, due to the severe pathology. It is true that there is little known about this remedy; still it is possible to prescribe accurately by making use of knowledge of the themes of the series (Uranium series in this case) and the stages (stage 4). Sincerely MvdM

Last Edit: November 07, 2010, 21:22:32 by mache

Posts: 3

Article FeedbackReply #1 on : Wed November 03, 2010, 13:11:42

This is a very interesting case given the severe pathology. I wish there was a little more detail about the case, especially the follow-up. How did he react to the remedy after one or two months? Was the remedy prescribed only once? What happened with his medications?
I'd like to really believe the wonderful results of this case, but to be convincing there needs to be a careful presentation. Otherwise, I will find it difficult to prescribe a remedy in such a severe situation based on relatively vague indications.